Tabor Baptist Church

• A familiar passage - sometimes we lose the impact
• At least 5000 men, perhaps three times that with women and children
• Have you been in a place where people were crowding around?
• A great miracle to be able to feed everyone, probably requiring thousands of fish and loaves
• Is it any wonder that shortly after this the people tried to make Him king by force?
• Have we understood this passage?

A Call to Love

• v33 - Jesus had crossed the lake, the people had seen and had walked all the way round
• Luke 9:10 - came to a piece of land owned by the city of Bethseda
• Jesus didn't go to somewhere else
• The disciples needed rest
• v34 - "moved with compassion", stirred up in His physical body, moved deep inside
• The people had religion but no relationship with God
• The people were sheep without a shepherd
• Jesus was the Good Shepherd
• How do we see people? Do we love and care as Jesus did?
• They make look fine on the outside but empty inside
• Story of Jonathan Carswell
• Jesus preaches until the end of the day (v34-35)
• We need to be exposed to the word of God
• How much do we give out of the word of God?

A Call to Trust

• In the Western World we might say that Jesus preached too long
• The preaching of Jesus was different, with authority
• Paul preached so long till midnight that a man fell out of the window
• The disciples were always telling Jesus what to do, even though He was the master
• Philip said it would take 7-8 months of wages to feed all these people
• There is no option, you have to send them away
• Humanly speaking Philip was right, but he had not counted on the power of God
• God uses what we have
• He is able to take the smallest of our resources and to multiply it
• 'Seek first the Kingdom of God and these things shall be added unto you'
• Sometimes God uses the most unlikely or unusual resources
• Application:
• If we have needs as a church, we must believe that God will supply
• In our personal life (provided we are walking alright) God will provide for our needs
• People in need: God often meets their needs in prayer
• Our greatest need is the salvation of our soul

A Call to Bow Down

• Jesus prayed once, broke bread once and then gave and gave and gave of this bread
• Jesus was in control - He had the sit down in groups of 50 - 100
• Each was eaten until they were totally satisfied
• There were twelve baskets left over
• 'With God all things are possible'
• Through the Son the creation was made
• 'He is the author of creation'
• The people ought to have bowed down but they sought to take Jesus as their king (to their benefit)
• Jesus is the 'Bread of life'
• Many who saw these miracles before their eyes did not trust, did not believe, did not bow down before Him
• Have you bowed down before Him?
• The Lord is good - you need to taste and see that The Lord is good